


feeling blue

by springdoves



Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: Character Analysis, Character Study, Flashbacks, Oh wait, Other, Princess Prom (She-Ra), death mentions, peekabee at first but we all know what happens, uh idk what to tag this so i hope u enjoy!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-15
Updated: 2020-11-18
Packaged: 2021-03-04 03:01:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,130
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24726421
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/springdoves/pseuds/springdoves
Summary: prince peekablue has been through a lot in the past few years. at least it'll come to an end soon. hopefully.
Relationships: Double Trouble/Peekablue (She-Ra), doubleblue
Comments: 16
Kudos: 75





	1. cookies and cream

**Author's Note:**

> special thanks to tumblr users @/n3rdyg0ggles, @/hellofromaperson, @/pansder-stuff, and @/mirast-odaest for beta reading and to the double trouble fanclub group chat for all of your support!

Prince Peekablue had never wanted it to end up like this. The Horde hadn’t bothered him much at all, and he used to be of some help to the rebels, answering a call from Princess Glimmer from time to time to let her know the location of some Horde official. Farsight was a delicate thing, and his parents had tried to protect him from any harm while they were alive. They wouldn’t have liked seeing him now, curled up under a fluffy blanket eating cookies and cream ice cream out of the pint while he watched Princess Perfuma traipse around in an evening gown and floppy hat. What that was for, he had no idea, but it was nice to be able to see his friends, even if they were miles away.

It wasn’t his parents’ fault that he went into exile, but he couldn’t help but wonder what this would be like if he still had anyone around to speak to. He had allowed any castle workers to return to their families under oath that they would not tell anyone his whereabouts. No one else knew where he had gone, and he heard whispers that the region had been put under Perfuma’s control in his absence. He felt horrible leaving such a burden to his former best friend, but he would feel even more horrible having to use his powers against the princesses. This whole war was just one moral dilemma after another, and it was exhausting. He took another bite, spotting another woman in the background of wherever Perfuma was pacing. Her pincers indicated that she had some connection to the fallen Fright Zone, but their royal family had all gone into hiding or died off at this point. Could it really be their princess who had been given up to the Horde? She certainly didn’t seem to be working with them anymore.

The Horde hadn’t come for him yet, but Peekablue knew his worth to them. Someone who could look across the entire universe and find anyone in particular would be invaluable to a crazed cult leader seeking to crush rebellion in any of his hundreds of colonies. His parents had lost their lives fighting in a militia against Hordak’s troops almost immediately before the second Princess Prom in his lifetime, all so that no one would have to suffer under their control. And yet, here he was, hiding instead of seeking out the rebels to help them.

Princess Prom wouldn’t have been all that bad if not for two defining factors: his parents had recently died, and it was his first official event after discovering that he was transgender. He had been aware since his twenty-second birthday, but non-runestone princesses didn’t have to make as many appearances as those who had their own runestone. Princess Entrapta spent all of her time in her castle before she was contacted about the new Princess Alliance (which he would never be asked about joining), and she had spent the previous Princess Prom hanging from rafters and observing the “hierarchies within the upper classes of Etheria,” able to slip away without much fuss. The only princess he had really kept up with in the wake of his parents’ death was Sweet Bee, who he had been dating for almost two years. Peekablue was to take over the region’s control in his parents’ stead, but that ceremony wouldn’t be held for a few weeks, along with his parents’ funeral. Nonetheless, he had to make a good impression on the rest of the group. This ball was being hosted by Princess Frosta of the Kingdom of Snows, who, although she was eleven years old, was incredibly powerful and a commanding leader. Peekablue didn’t really speak with her, considering that she was a full thirteen years younger than him, but he respected her for her strength. Her parents had died at a young age, and she took the throne when she was only eight years old.

Staring at his closet, the prince frowned. He took another bite of ice cream, chewing deliberately and squinting through his glasses. There sat his outfit from Princess Prom, collecting dust. He hadn’t been out in public out of disguise in exactly three years and twenty-four days. He looked terrible, and he had almost lost faith that the war would end. He knew that the princesses were doing their best, but ever since Horde Prime had shown up, things had just been getting worse. 

Peekablue sat back down on his bed and focused on Perfuma, now triangulating her to some location...underwater? Around her stood Princess Mermista, some man with a mustache, and who he could only hope was Princess Scorpia. Wherever they were, the lighting was awful, barely illuminating their faces. Princess Scorpia walked out of his range of view, and he shifted to focus on her instead. She said something to Perfuma and then split off, turning to a stage. They certainly wouldn’t be going to see a show in the middle of a war, right? That would be ridiculous. If he knew Perfuma (and he did), she would be entirely focused on taking care of her people and her friends. Something valuable had to be behind that curtain, and he had nothing better to do than investigate this mystery from afar.

If it was possible, the lights dimmed even more, and a spotlight pointed at the curtain’s part shone a beam of light. The curtains began to open, and a voice rang out, shaking him to his core.

“Good evening, misfits of the sea, outlaws of the land, and everyone in between!” That was his voice. That was him on stage, just as he looked at Princess Prom. How was that possible? He was sitting on his bed, eating ice cream, hiding from the Horde, and watching someone impersonate him to a terrifying degree in some unsavory venue. Frantically, he opened his closet, spotting the same jacket and shoes that he could see on that stage. “I’m your host, Prince Peekablue!”

Peekablue almost passed out right then but willed himself to figure this out. Clearly, this wasn’t just someone in a costume, seeing as they could mimic his voice and appearance flawlessly. He must have met the perpetrator at Princess Prom, as that was the only time he had gone out in public looking like that. He knew that some of the sorcerers at Mystacor were capable of using shapeshifting spells, but they never left the island, meaning that they wouldn’t be in this bar or at Princess Prom. Who did that leave to know so much about him and have the ability to use it like this? He was really trying to ground himself, but this was possibly the most alienating thing he had ever experienced. Some random Etherian was perfectly imitating him, ruining his reputation and also putting themself in danger from the Horde. Did they not realize why he had gone into hiding in the first place? He barely ever wanted to wake up in the morning, but the thing that kept him going was knowing that this was better for Etheria. Now, this person walks around like they’re completely unaware of his situation. When Prince Peekablue disappeared, everyone on Etheria knew. He was sure some people thought he was dead at this point. He promised himself that he would come back after the war ended, but if Horde Prime won, all of this was for nothing. He found himself worrying about the identity thief against his will. It didn’t make any sense. Why should he care about the fate of someone who stole his identity? He supposed it was just his nature. He had always been like that: quiet, reserved, nervous, and far too trusting.

By the time he was able to refocus, he decided that it was worth the extra energy to track this random person, despite being unaware of their true identity or appearance. He sat the ice cream beside him, concentrating solely on the imposter until his eyes shot open, glowing a deep magenta as he worked to locate the source of all of this trouble. If Perfuma was out at this underwater party, there could only be one reason: she was looking for him. They must have received some sort of intel that he was out there, and she wanted to bring him to help with their failing rebellion. The fact that she still cared about him after all these years was heartwarming, but it ached to know that she was possibly pursuing a dangerous vagrant. His farsight took him across Plumeria and Salineas, past bodyguards and bouncers, through the crowds of people watching the stage, all the way to...the pianist? None of this made any sense, but farsight never lied. There was some connection between the impersonator and the pianist. To their right, he could see Princess Scorpia putting on her own little show, singing into a microphone that he could swear wasn’t there when his double was onstage. A flower landed in her pincer, and the woman blushed, tucking it behind her ear. The only way a flower could be alive down there would be from Perfuma, and Scorpia’s blushing indicated something more between them. He would definitely have to tease her about that if—no, when—the war was finally over.

Once the inaudible crooning had concluded, Scorpia was basking in the praise being showered on her after what he assumed was a successful performance. His perspective immediately shifted as the pianist (or whoever it was) slid behind the curtain. The vision slipped out of his grasp, although he couldn't pinpoint the cause. He had to remember to start keeping track of who he talked to at parties from now on. He was able to regain it with some effort, seeing himself once more. The offender took a seat in front of a vanity, applying a generous amount of mascara with care. Peekablue couldn’t even recall the last time he had touched makeup. He used to take a few days per month to dress up (in the very same outfit from Princess Prom) and emulate his former life, but any energy that he would put into his appearance had gone to maintaining a somewhat consistent mental state.

Before he could check to see if the imposter really had gotten anything wrong, Princess Scorpia’s reflection burst through the door behind the backstage area. Wow, that disguise really was flawless. The magic behind that must have been incredibly powerful to project such an illusion.

“It’s you,” she gasped, and he would have facepalmed were he not concentrating on keeping this vision. “Oh, wow, Prince Peekablue, I have been looking all over for you!” So it was true, Perfuma had brought them there to search for him based on intel that might not have been reliable.

“That was quite a number, honey, but I really don’t have time to chitchat.” Not only was this portrayal inaccurate, but it was also downright offensive. He would never shrug off someone just to apply more mascara (there was already way too much to begin with). Even if he was shy, he could be sociable if need be.

“Wow, you’re amazing!” Peekablue honestly had no idea why she was complimenting his double, the vision flickering in and out, but he didn’t really understand what was so impressive about knowing that Scorpia was now allied with the rebellion. He supposed that his powers were harder to explain than, say, Mermista’s, but farsight did not come with inherent knowledge of interpersonal relationships. “Come on, do it again. Can you see them right now?” He would have done just that, were he not so invested in what the imposter was going to come up with.

“I can see…”—they stood with a flourish, far more dramatic than the real Peekablue had ever been in his entire life—“a bright, shiny woman among the stars with her great big sword, fighting against Horde Prime! She-Ra, in space!” The performance was laughable, but Scorpia seemed to buy it, jaw dropping in awe. However, she raised an eyebrow, seemingly analyzing each part of the story.

“Wait, fighting with her sword? But Adora broke the sword.” Good save, Scorpia. The prince let out a soft chuckle. This was really getting interesting. They could only cover for so long.

“Farsight never lies, darling,” the identity thief stammered, which was the first truthful thing they had said all night. The only problem was that they didn’t possess farsight, making all claims in its name up for questioning. “Now, I must insist you leave. I have to get into character for my next performance.”

Scorpia’s eyes widened to an obscene degree, but Peekablue detected nothing out of the ordinary in that last statement. “‘Character’? Hm. Strangest thing, but I think we’ve met before.” The imposter’s eyes widened, and their shoulders visibly tensed. They fought in a battle of glances with the princess, ending only when she finally spoke, smiling as if nothing had happened and she had discovered some great truth. “Oh, Perfuma’s flower crown workshop!”

Peekablue shivered at the mention of her name. He had been so horrible, leaving her alone, and this fake was about to pretend like nothing had happened. The impersonator relaxed, turning with a winning smile and nodding enthusiastically. “Yes! Perfuma. She’s a doll, isn’t she? Never miss a shindig with her.” They began making their way to the stage, as it had clearly been far too long, and they needed to introduce the next act.

A large pincer came up inches from the imposter’s face, and they stopped in their tracks. A whimper betrayed them, and they clearly recognized that now Scorpia had control of the situation. The seer felt himself smile, although he couldn’t see anything besides the backstage room. “The real Peekablue has never met Perfuma.”

Peekablue lost the vision immediately, almost falling backward. Had she really told the princesses that they had never met? Perfuma had never been one to hold grudges. Would she really deny their friendship after all they had been through? Shaking his head to dispel the thoughts, he managed to bring back the image. It seemed that Scorpia had just stung the impersonator, and he watched in mild horror as they shifted between different bodies at an alarming rate: the pianist, Catra of the Horde, some pink moth girl who must have been from Elberon, Adora, Bow, and finally…

No. It couldn’t be them.

He tried to force himself to keep watching, but his concentration faltered, and suddenly he was back on his bed, the pint of ice cream now entirely melted and stewing in its packaging. That was the last thing he cared about right now. He managed to set it on a nearby table before flopping back down onto the mattress, swarmed with memories he thought he had boxed up so securely they would never be spilled again. It was just like that night all over again.

Princess Glimmer had just recovered from a dreadful introduction on the She-Ra’s part, but Princess Frosta’s glare suggested that this misconduct would be brought up in the future. He was staying off to the side himself, never one for mingling. At least Princess Entrapta had her charming inclination toward chaos going for her. He was just shy and alone at a party for princesses. Was he ever considered a part of their group anymore? Perfuma was nowhere to be found, probably hitting it off with some of the socialites attending and demonstrating her powers. This was, at least, a refuge from the war with the Horde, considering tradition as well as the Kingdom of Snows’ neutral position in the fight. No one had really approached him about his new title and pronouns, which seemed ordinary yet somehow off, like it didn’t even matter because no one would notice him on a regular day. Sweet Bee was nowhere to be found. She had promised to spend the whole night with him as their first official date as prince and princess, but she was either late or embroiled within the tightly-packed crowds. Nothing could really go right anymore. He was pathetic, standing in the overwhelming shadow of his parents and the utterly consuming loneliness which now haunted his waking hours.

“Hey, hot stuff. Something got you down?” The voice came from behind, and he almost jumped out of his skin in shock. Peekablue turned, meeting eyes with a slender reptile who, in turn, blinked horizontally, starling the man. He stiffened. He considered himself well versed in the various peoples of Etheria, but he had never heard of anyone like this. Perhaps they were a descendant of a race from the Crimson Waste. No one really bothered to study it, as the desert was now abandoned. “Don’t act so surprised. I’ve been watching you all night. The jacket stands out.”

The prince stammered, unable to come up with a response to that. “You can’t just...watch people as you please! You’re not even a princess. How did you get in here?”

“Well, darling, there’s a lot of ways to sneak into a party. I’m afraid you’ll never find out which way I got in. But let’s start over.” They extended a hand to Peekablue, smirking for apparently no reason. “The name’s Double Trouble.”

The seer reluctantly took it, barely shaking. “Prince Peekablue.” Getting a proper view of the newcomer, he looked them up and down. It wasn’t like he would ever have to use his farsight to locate them, but he wouldn’t deny that they were attractive. That pencil skirt was definitely working for them.

“Oh, so you’re the prince, huh? What a name.” Double Trouble’s voice had this certain inflection, almost something wistful, and it was admittedly captivating. There was this certain mystique about them, and Peekablue found himself drawn in.

“Says someone named Double Trouble.” Peekablue looked down, speaking softly. “Why are you here? I know that no one wants to talk to me. I shouldn’t even be here.”

“Now, darling, don’t be ridiculous.” The reptile occupied themself with examining their claws, painted a deep lavender to match their coat. “I’m here to socialize, and you’re here to reintroduce yourself. You attended the last one, but you’re a new man this time. You should get out there, talk to the others. Not everyone can be as gracious and outgoing as me.”

“I guess.” It was nice to have someone to talk to, even if it was just some random lizard he met at Princess Prom.

Before he had a chance to continue, a loud bang shook the palace. Princess Frosta could be found scurrying off to some other room as two massive columns began crackling. There was only one princess who would have the audacity to do something so horrible at such a sacred celebration of unity.

Princess Scorpia. She had brought Catra of the Horde. They had set off the bombs. They had infiltrated the last sacred space in Etheria. They had targeted everyone there. They had killed his parents and now they were ruining Princess Prom.

Turning to his left, Double Trouble was gone. He had no idea where they had gone, but he knew that he had to go. Peekablue weaved through the crowds, somehow getting out without much of a fuss. The cold air nipped at him, but he kept going, retrieving his horse from the stablehands and riding away. He wasn’t going to let the Horde take him too. Not after what they had done to his parents. When he got home, the prince found a folded piece of paper inside the pocket of his jacket. 

"next princess prom look me up ;)  
\- your ballroom therapist double trouble (you’ll have to look a little harder to find me)"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you so much for reading! this is the longest one-shot i've ever written (it's now a three parter so) clocking in at 3.3k words, but i'm really proud of the way it turned out. i randomly was like "what if i did a peekablue character study based entirely on my headcanons" and then riffed on it haha ;) please check out my other she ra fics and leave a comment/kudos if you enjoyed (comments > kudos but kudos are appreciated)!
> 
> ps: i'm gonna be honest i'm posting this with my computer at 3% power so if you see any apparent formatting errors don't hesitate to let me know in the comments


	2. palettes and princesses

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> double trouble would prefer to just get their payment and leave.

Double Trouble took their assignments very seriously. Well, as seriously as they could manage. The only thing that really mattered in the end was that the money ended up in their palm by the end of the job, and their gig as Prince Peekablue certainly paid the bills. In addition to imitating the handsome heir to the throne of Pavonia, they had crafted several all identities based on random Etherians to populate the stage. The poor stage manager never seemed to notice that only one of the performers was in the same room as him at any given time, and they received an individual paycheck as each person. Considering how little a non-Peekablue performer was paid, it wasn’t a lot, but they made enough.

Unfortunately, they had been caught by the princesses and effectively held captive until the war was over. Scorpia of course had to sting them (despite all they had been through with the Horde and their mutual abandonment of Catra), and for some reason they, of all Etherians, had to react abnormally to it. They wanted to reconcile with her, but it was really their fault that she had been chipped in the first place. However, it wasn’t all that bad back in the reimagined outpost, and they were protected from the threat of being chipped (although the princesses argued that it was because they would be too dangerous in the hands of Prime)—but they were a wanderer, and rejoiced when the war had ended if not only because they would be freed.

With the royalty on Bright Moon, however, things were never so simple. In order to repay the time and people lost due to their mimicry at the Enchanted Grotto, Queen Sparkles had ordered them to track down the real Peekablue and bring him back to her castle. There was no time frame, but they would be required to check in nightly with the “Best Friends Squad,” consisting of the aforementioned Sparkles, Blondie, and Bow. Kitten had been invited, considering her and Blondie had finally become a thing, but she declined for obvious reasons. Thankfully, they had some basis for the Prince’s whereabouts. Locals reported seeing a hooded figure within Pavonia’s borders (it was technically a territory of Plumeria at the time, but Double Trouble didn’t care to get into the intricacies of land division). Sparkles seemed convinced that it was who they were looking for, and even if they disagreed, they were at her mercy.

The first week of their stay in Pavonia consisted almost entirely of observation, perfecting disguises of several locals to blend in while they got into the more active portion of the quest. Double Trouble managed to catch a glimpse of a cloaked citizen running into some secluded doorway but ultimately decided to wait a few days before breaking into someone’s living space unattended. They likely only had the one shot at identifying Peekablue; otherwise, they could be arrested for breaking and entering. Technically, Sparkles’ very mission encouraged crime, but she wouldn’t like having to bail them out.

A few more days of observation and Double Trouble had concluded that no normal Pavonian citizen wore a cloak around during their daily tasks. This left them with only one suspect, and they had to make their move when the door was still unlocked. Peekablue didn’t usually go out, except for when he purchased food from time to time, leaving few opportunities to strike. The shifter remained vigilant, however, functioning on small amounts of sleep and finally spotting the prince as he returned from a late night haul.

He looked almost panicked, checking the surrounding area to see if anyone was watching before unlocking the door. Clearly, he was still paranoid. Did he even know that the war was over? The chances were slim, but that wasn’t important right now. They shifted back into their true form, nearly breaking their ankle upon landing. Cobblestone paths really did not work with three-inch heels, but fashion is fashion. The door was ever so slightly ajar, and Double Trouble opened it as quietly as they could muster, which elicited an atrocious creak.

The figure turned as soon as the door made a sound, eyes widening as he backed against the nearest wall. Definitely Peekablue.

“Please don’t kill me, I’ll do whatever you want, just don’t hurt me!” the prince shouted, squinting and rummaging around on his bed for something. His voice grew softer, more desperate. “Please.”

The shapeshifter looked around, taking in the sight before them. The missing Prince Peekablue, long blue locks tied into a messy ponytail and wearing an oversized tunic. Upon closer inspection, he was trying to grab a pair of glasses. His living space wasn’t terribly messy, but there was barely anything there, just the essentials. He certainly had deteriorated since their last meeting.

Before doing anything, Double Trouble picked up the glasses and clunkily positioned them on the seer’s face. Once he recognized who they were, he certainly would stop resisting. Perhaps he would even greet them with a smile. They were still waiting on that next Princess Prom, which had been graciously awarded to Frosta as retribution for what had happened with the Horde at her first ball. Scorpia had been promised the one after that, but that was long in the future, and they didn’t like planning ahead.

Much to the shifter’s shock, the prince only struggled further, shoving them away and blushing a deep violet. “Get your hands off of me!” That certainly wasn’t the reaction they were hoping for, but they could work with it. That was one of the many things they prided themself on—masking their true emotions in favor of a very convincing facade—so they plastered a smirk on their face and set to molding this interaction, an artist in their own right.

“Darling, really, you live like this? I would’ve expected better from the prince of Pavonia—but then again, you aren’t really the prince of anything anymore, are you?” Double Trouble made themself comfortable on the edge of his bed, watching as he finally caught up with the situation. It was a little amusing, seeing him so disoriented, but it wasn’t like he would normally be any more sociable. The old man glasses suited him, though.

“Wait, you?” Peekablue finally made out the intruder, and it was definitely not who he was expecting. Why would Double Trouble want to see him again? All he did was waste their time at Princess Prom years ago. Not to mention the rampant identity theft he had witnessed on their part. “How did you even find me here? Show me your neck.”

The reptile burst into a theatrical laugh, throwing their head back. “Oh, haven’t you heard? Big Brother took a tumble. Whole empire’s gone. I heard She-Ra used all that new magic to plant some trees around the ships. Oh, and Blondie finally got together with Kitten. Did you see them at Princess Prom? I have no idea how they couldn’t realize earlier.”

Peekablue stood still for what felt like hours. The war was over, Horde Prime had been defeated, and he was still here? As for “Blondie” and “Kitten,” those names had no significance to him. He figured that was a question for a later date. There were more pressing matters to attend to. “Why are you here? To kidnap me for ransom?”

That same laugh chimed through the room, and the prince felt his heart melt. “Oh, not exactly. I’m on assignment from Bright Moon. Repayment for my war crimes. Sparkles wanted me to find where you were hiding and bring you back to Bright Moon. I’m getting paid, so I suppose you could call this kidnapping for ransom. No need to worry, darling, I treat my captives well. But if we’re going to be bringing you to an audience before the Queen, we have got to deal with all of this.” Double Trouble gestured vaguely at the man before them.

“You’re supposed to be kidnapping me.” The gravity of the situation finally sunk in, and Peekablue’s heart rate spiked almost instantly. “Just get it over with. Please.”

Double Trouble raised an eyebrow. “Me-ow. I didn’t think you would’ve developed a death wish in solitary.” The prince scrunched his face defiantly, but the shifter didn’t budge. “Let me make this clear. If you want to have an audience with Sparkles, you have to let me make you look presentable. To be considered a prince, you have to look like one, and I have to say, solitary chic really isn’t working for you.”

“What are you going to do if I say no?”

“Darling, no isn’t an option. Now, where do you keep all of your things? We have a lot of work to do.”

⋆⋆⋆

Peekablue didn’t like the idea of Double Trouble wielding a pair of scissors near his neck and face, but they were insistent. What did he have left to lose? They were the only one who had bothered to check in on him, and they hadn’t threatened him at all. “How do I know I can trust you?” 

“You can’t, darling. That’s the fun part.” The shifter worked gently, far more gently than the prince would’ve imagined. They seemed to know what they were doing. Perhaps that was something they had learned from their shapeshifting—the delicate intricacies of the body, the exact way the vocal cords of a person develop their voice, the way that the composition of muscle contributed to strengths and weaknesses in combat. Any other person and he would’ve been squirming in his seat, but Double Trouble had an almost soothing presence. He didn’t think they would try to hurt him.

Peekablue felt a significant amount of weight drop off of the back of his head and flinched the slightest bit. He had asked Double Trouble to go for the haircut he had at Princess Prom, but the actual experience was something different, and it was far more significant than they would probably ever know. He was finally going to see other people. He was going to be a prince again. He could see Perfuma and ask Scorpia what had happened before the Fright Zone had fallen. If the Horde was gone, would that mean that she was restored the control of her kingdom? By turning back to Princess Prom, could he repair the damage he had done?

“Hey, uh—thank you. For this. You really didn’t have to.” The seer turned back to look Double Trouble in the eyes. “I know I’m the prince everyone’s given up on, but...I want to make things right with everyone. Hiding was wrong.”

The shapeshifter flinched, pupils widening and refusing to meet his gaze. For as much as they shopped around when it came to finding a partner, the idea of genuine intimacy was one they were wildly out of touch with. It was commitment, and when they chose their profession, it was the first thing they had let go of. “Yeah, well, you enjoy that. I’ll probably head back to the Waste once I deliver you to Sparkles anyway. There’s nothing left for me in Bright Moon.”

Something shifted on Peekablue’s face, but Double Trouble couldn’t pinpoint it. He shook his head, turning back and standing up. “I can do my own makeup.”

The shapeshifter watched as he worked, erasing the dark circles under his eyes and practically becoming someone else entirely. “Believe me, darling, I know.” They hadn’t really bothered learning how to do makeup, considering their abilities, but he was likely just as good at replicating a face as they were. He had gone from an exhausted disaster who hadn’t seen people in years to someone who could pass for royalty, all with just a few creams and powders. Blue finished with that same shade of lavender lipstick and a pair of contact lenses and stood, shoulders rising as he inhaled sharply.

Wordlessly, he walked to the closet, pulling out the infamous outfit and making his way to a separate room. This was it. Put on a leotard and a jacket and it would be like nothing had happened.

He wished it was that easy. He had a lot to fix. He would probably never be the same person he was before all of this. Peekablue eyed the binder staring back at him from the other side of the room, weighing his options. On the one hand, Double Trouble had said that he needed to look like a prince for his audience with Princess Glimmer (he assumed that was the identity of “Sparkles”). On the other hand, he hadn’t worn his binder in years, and he didn’t really feel uncomfortable without it. What were the rules for this kind of thing? Turning away from the binder, he dressed in the outfit, finishing with his shoes and holding the jacket in his hand as if it would disappear the moment he let go. What was he waiting for?

Prince Peekablue pulled his arms through the sleeves, smoothing out any wrinkles. That was who he was again. A prince. He stepped out of the room, closing the door behind him, turning to Double Trouble.

A blush rose up and covered Double Trouble’s face, and they didn’t even attempt to hide it. For the first time in years, the shapeshifter was rendered speechless. It was like nothing had changed, and they were just going to continue their conversation. The Horde wouldn’t have shown up, and they could have maybe shared a dance.

Neither of them spoke on the walk through the shadows of Plumeria and back to Bright Moon. By some miracle, Blue’s jacket wasn’t torn to shreds by briars, and after a trek through the foliage, they stood on a ledge looking out on Bright Moon Palace. The prince instinctively grabbed for Double Trouble’s hand, and despite their initial reaction, they didn’t let go. The two walked across the bridge, grip tight and steps succinct, arriving at the doors after what had felt like an eternity. Double Trouble confirmed their identities and led him through a labyrinth of hallways, stopping only before what Peekablue knew was the throne room.

Double Trouble pulled him close, whispering, “You still remember how to address royalty?” The prince had to stop himself from laughing. He doubted that they would even consider using formalities, regardless of the stature of the person they were speaking with.

Prince Peekablue rounded the corner, dipping into a low bow and holding for three seconds before raising his head to gaze upon the throne.

“Your Highness–” he rasped, managing to maintain his composure despite the difficulty breathing he was experiencing. “Queen... Glimmer. My condolences.”

“Thank you, Prince Peekablue. Thank you, Double Trouble. You’re dismissed now.” Without any sort of formalities, the shapeshifter complied, sauntering off and leaving him alone to face the younger woman. “Prince Peekablue. How do you intend to answer for your inaction during the war against the Horde?”

“By putting all I… all I have into my kingdom. I’d like to… strengthen our trade agreements with Salineas and Bright Moon, and I’d like to assist Plumeria in whatever way Princess Perfuma requires. I’d also like to offer my services to other kingdoms, to protect against any unprecedented threats. That is, with your consent, your majesty.” The prince took another deep breath. Glimmer was younger than him, but she also had more power and was far more intimidating. “I think I could be of help to the Princess Alliance… if you’d let me join. Hiding was cowardly, but I choose to do everything I can to help Etheria from this moment on.”

Glimmer’s stern gaze broke, and a smile took the place of her frown. She stood from her seat, stepping down the miniature platforms and approaching him. She stuck out a hand, and he accepted it, shaking gently. “Thanks, Peekablue. We really need you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you so much for reading! this chapter was posted for double trouble week, organized by @sheblah on tumblr/GlitterGold on ao3! i'll be posting all of my other pieces from this event soon. this chapter took me a long time to write, but i'm really proud of the result. please leave a comment or kudos if you enjoyed (comments>kudos but both are appreciated) and subscribe to catch the final chapter when it drops!


	3. announcement (PLEASE READ)

first of all, i want to thank everyone whos been so supportive of me !! it means the world. after the disastrous second she ra panel, i took the time to distance myself from the show and its crew. the things they said and did were absolutely unacceptable. i feel like i'd been drifting from the show already, and this just quickened that. as much as i adore the characters and the story i was able to create, ultimately i cant and will not force myself into creating content i dont want to make. im putting my work into the world but that doesnt mean it isnt my energy going into it. all this is to say i will not be updating this story will the third and final chapter because ive lost interest in the media and dont want to force myself to work on something thats passionless. thank u all so much for supporting feeling blue and me as a creator. u can find me on twitter as @moomintroIIs !! have a wonderful day :)

**Author's Note:**

> thank you so much for reading! this is the longest one-shot i've ever written (it's now a three parter so) clocking in at 3.3k words, but i'm really proud of the way it turned out. i randomly was like "what if i did a peekablue character study based entirely on my headcanons" and then riffed on it haha ;) please check out my other she ra fics and leave a comment/kudos if you enjoyed (comments > kudos but kudos are appreciated)!
> 
> ps: i'm gonna be honest i'm posting this with my computer at 3% power so if you see any apparent formatting errors don't hesitate to let me know in the comments


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